


Heart for a Heart

by tuesday



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Drinking, Enemy Ship, F/F, Pre-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-02-09 08:38:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18634639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuesday/pseuds/tuesday
Summary: Hela was all easy grace and sharp smiles, glittering like a crystal blade she’d gladly shove through an enemy’s heart.  She was grievous determination and laughter in the face of bloodshed.  She was magic and hand-to-hand and a twirling spear, the edge of a dagger and the dance of fancy footwork.  She was beautiful.





	Heart for a Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SadieFlood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadieFlood/gifts).



> This was originally posted for Marvel Femslash Exchange on 4/28, but story reveals weren't until last week. I'm redating now that it's author reveals. Sorry to anyone who sees this twice!

Brunnhilde was your typical Valkyrie. She worked hard, she was loyal, and she was fierce in battle. Also, she was rather taken with Odin’s firstborn. This made her no different from the majority of her sisters-in-arms.

Hela was all easy grace and sharp smiles, glittering like a crystal blade she’d gladly shove through an enemy’s heart. She was grievous determination and laughter in the face of bloodshed. She was magic and hand-to-hand and a twirling spear, the edge of a dagger and the dance of fancy footwork. She was beautiful. Hela was so beautiful, like a blow striking home. Everyone knew it—especially Hela.

Brunnhilde loved Hela, but she wasn’t alone in that. The only way Brunnhilde differed from the rest was that when Hela turned on them, she survived. 

—

(“Do you think you were special?” Hela asked in Brunnhilde’s dreams. “You’re not.”

“My dear.” Hela’s hands were cold. Her smile was sharp, pointed, a blade sliding cleanly in. “I’d have killed you, too, if that other woman hadn’t gotten in the way.”) 

—

Sakaar was a trash planet of trash people. In many ways, Brunnhilde felt like she belonged. She was one more discarded, broken thing, good for naught but the scrap heap. Someone fished her out, and while they didn’t claim she was a treasure, they found a use for her. Brunnhilde allowed it. In her own way, she embraced it.

It was more than her sisters had gotten. 

—

(“You _are_ trash.” Hela’s nails were sharp trailing down Brunnhilde’s cheek. “They’ve forgotten you. But I remember. Oh, yes. I remember. And no matter how you try to drink it away, you’ll never forget.”) 

—

Odin had had more children in Brunnhilde’s time away. One was fair where Hela was dark, warm where Hela was cold, all brute strength and grating laughter, supposedly like the sun after too long spent indoors. Rumor had it he was a child of thunder and every bit as blustering as his domain. He was also a bloodthirsty little thing who wished to plunge the Nine Realms into war. In this one way, he sounded like Odin’s get.

Brunnhilde loaded up on new mead. It tasted like home. She wished she could avoid everything that came with it. 

—

(“Do you think you’ll ever go back?” Hela asked. Her lips curved. Her eyes glittered. “I will. I promise you that. I will, and no one will stop me this time.”) 

—

There was a younger child, too. He dressed in green and black, was reported to be as charming as he was treacherous, and had made a good attempt at grinding at least two of the Nine under his boot heel. Odin really had replaced Hela.

Good for him.

Brunnhilde took another gulp, only to come up empty, and let the bottle drop to her bedroom floor from fingers gone numb. She had an early shift tomorrow, but she didn’t care. She didn’t care so deeply and so truly that she finished out the case. 

—

(“But you’ll never replace me, will you?” Hela’s voice tonight was a soft croon hiding the strain of cruelty beneath it. “You’ll always be that sad, lonely girl who thought she could attract the attention of a god.” Her breath was warm against Brunnhilde’s lips. “How does it feel to finally have it?”) 

—

Sakaar was a trash planet. All things eventually ended up in the heap. This included two of Odin’s children. A firstborn who wasn’t and a stolen child who nonetheless from bearing to upbringing was everything Brunnhilde had come to expect of Odin’s children.

The third came first. The second came second. The first didn’t come at all.

Brunnhilde watched Loki charm his way into the Gamemaster’s menagerie, if not his confidence. She helped fit Thor with a collar or near enough. She tried not to get attached. She tried not to hope Hela would come for them and see another discarded treasure alongside them, would decide to reclaim that which had been hers all along.

It wasn’t true. Not now. Not anymore.  

—

(“I have returned, glorious and triumphant.” Hela tapped a finger against Brunnhilde’s sternum. “You weren’t the worst diversion, but I’m done with you.” She reached through skin and muscle and bone and pulled Brunnhilde’s heart from her chest. “I’ll take this as a reminder of our time together. Don’t worry. I’ll take every care with it that it deserves.”) 

—

It hit Brunnhilde all over again when she returned to Asgard. Asgard’s gleaming, glorious spires were nothing next to Hela’s dearly beloved face. She looked half-starved. Her skin was pale, no sun in whatever dark corner Odin had abandoned her in. She was all harsh angles and harsher smile.

She was _so beautiful_.

This time, Brunnhilde was going to tear out her heart. 

—

(It was only fair; Hela had broken hers.)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Heart for a Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21535828) by [sisi_rambles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sisi_rambles/pseuds/sisi_rambles)




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